đď¸Â Exactly one year after a terrifying crash at her home race in Killington, Vermont, forced her off the snow with a debilitating abdominal injury, Mikaela Shiffrin has publicly declared her complete return to form, posting a triumphant message to her fans: “One year stronger and the injury behind me! Thanks for the support â letâs go, fans!”
The post is more than just a simple update; it serves as a powerful testament to the two-time Olympic championâs resilience following a grueling recovery process that tested her mental and physical limits. The journey back was far more challenging than a typical skiing injury, involving not a torn ligament, but a deep puncture wound into her abdomen that required surgery and damaged three layers of core muscle.
The Trauma and the Triumph
Shiffrinâs injury in November 2024 was a frightening moment in her illustrious career. A ski pole tip or a piece of equipment during the fall caused a 7-centimeter deep wound, narrowly missing critical organs. The subsequent rehabilitation was marked by intensive focus on core muscle activation, which the skier described as starting from a place where even a simple cough or laugh caused intense pain.
The world watched as Shiffrin battled back, working with trainers who specialized in oblique injuriesâa common problem in baseball and hockey, but virtually unseen in Alpine Skiing. Her dedication paid off. She returned to the World Cup circuit in January 2025, gradually building her strength and, crucially, her confidence.
The 2025-2026 Season: An Unbeaten Start
Fast forward to the current 2025-2026 World Cup season, and Shiffrin has not only left the injury behind but has returned to an unprecedented level of dominance. Her social media announcement comes on the heels of a sensational, unbeaten start to the season in her signature discipline: the Slalom.
After claiming victory at the season openers in Levi and Gurgl, Shiffrin delivered a masterclass performance on home soil in Copper Mountain, Colorado, securing her third consecutive Slalom victory and her 104th World Cup win. This record-extending triumph came with staggering margins, often finishing a second and a half ahead of her closest rivalâa clear sign that she is skiing faster and more confidently than ever before.
This recent wave of success is particularly poignant because it confirms her recovery not just physically, but mentally. The pressure of competing one year after a traumatic fall on the same US snow was immense, but Shiffrin channeled that anxiety into pure performance.
Focused on the Future
As Shiffrin prepares for her upcoming racesâincluding the Giant Slaloms in Tremblant, Quebec, and the full European leg of the tourâshe is in a commanding position in the overall Crystal Globe standings. Her incredible form in the Slalom and solid results in the Giant Slalom have already secured her qualification for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
By stating she is “One year stronger,” Mikaela Shiffrin is sending a clear message to her competitors and her legion of fans: the adversity of the past has only fueled her pursuit of history. The win-count will continue to climb, and the injury is now nothing more than a footnote in the story of the greatest Alpine skier of all time.